Bonne Maman is owned by Andros, a private, family-owned French food company based in Biars-sur-Cère in southwest France. Andros created the Bonne Maman brand in 1971, and the business is still controlled by the families of its founders, Jean Gervoson and Pierre Chapoulart, with Frédéric Gervoson as chairman. Bonne Maman is not owned by an American company.
Bonne Maman: Quick Facts
| Brand | Bonne Maman (French for “granny”) |
| Owner | Andros, a private family-owned company |
| Brand launched | 1971 |
| Founders of Andros | Jean Gervoson and Pierre Chapoulart |
| Headquarters | Biars-sur-Cère, Lot, France |
| Chairman | Frédéric Gervoson |
| Products | Jams, marmalades, compotes, desserts, cakes and biscuits |
| Known for | Red-and-white gingham lid and handwritten-style label |
Who Owns Bonne Maman?
Bonne Maman is the leading brand of Andros, a French food group that is privately owned by the Gervoson and Chapoulart families. Andros is not listed on any stock exchange. It reported revenue of about €2.4 billion in 2020 and employs around 10,000 people. Its other brands include Andros Chef, Mamie Nova, Biscuiterie Saint-Michel, Pierrot Gourmand and Buddy Fruits.
Who Founded Bonne Maman?
Bonne Maman grew out of Andros, the business founded by Jean Gervoson and Pierre Chapoulart in Biars-sur-Cère. Jean Gervoson started out making jam around the end of the Second World War and married into the Chapoulart family through his wife, Suzanne. Andros launched Bonne Maman in 1971 as a mass-produced jam designed to taste and look homemade. Jean Gervoson died in 2018.
Why Does Bonne Maman Have a Gingham Lid?
The red-and-white checked lid (the French call the pattern “motif Vichy”) and the handwritten-style label were designed to make a factory-made jam feel like something from a grandmother’s kitchen, which is exactly what the name means. The company says its jams use “five simple ingredients that could be found in your kitchen,” with no high-fructose corn syrup, additives or preservatives.
Did Bonne Maman’s Founders Hide Jews During the Holocaust?
There is no verified evidence that they did. The story went viral in February 2021 after St. John’s University law professor Michael Perino posted that an elderly woman in a New Jersey grocery store told him, “During the war, the family that owns the company hid my family in Paris.”
When the Jewish Telegraphic Agency looked into it, it found that neither Biars-sur-Cère nor the Gervoson or Chapoulart families appear in Yad Vashem’s Righteous Among the Nations database. The families were based in Biars-sur-Cère, more than 250 miles from Paris, during the war. The company declined to comment, saying, “The family prefers to maintain privacy and does not comment on inquiries about personal matters.” The story is touching, but it remains unconfirmed.
Is Bonne Maman American?
No. Bonne Maman is a French brand owned by a French family company. Andros does have a North American business, Andros Foods North America, which runs a factory in Mount Jackson, Virginia, but the brand and its parent company are French.
Our Take
Bonne Maman’s real story doesn’t need a legend to be impressive. A family jam business from a small village in the Lot built one of the most recognisable jars in the world, and it has stayed private and family-run for more than 50 years. The Holocaust story may never be proven, but the brand’s success is a matter of record.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Bonne Maman?
Bonne Maman is owned by Andros, a private French food company controlled by the Gervoson and Chapoulart families.
When was Bonne Maman founded?
Andros launched the Bonne Maman brand in 1971.
Where is Bonne Maman made?
Bonne Maman is a French brand. Its parent company, Andros, is headquartered in Biars-sur-Cère in southwest France.
Is the Bonne Maman Holocaust story true?
It has never been verified. The families are not listed in Yad Vashem’s Righteous Among the Nations database, and the company has declined to comment.
Sources
- Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Is Bonne Maman an anti-Nazi jam? (Feb 17, 2021)
- Wikipedia: Andros (company)
- Wikipedia: Bonne Maman
Sources and Editorial Notes
Elivestory aims to use relevant sources, separate confirmed information from speculation and update important details when reliable new information becomes available.
Jaylin Khan
Jaylin Khan is an entertainment writer at elivestory.com who covers celebrity biographies, entertainment news, digital media and the latest pop culture trends. Drawing information from credible and trusted sources, she combines verified facts with thoughtful opinions to create engaging and informative articles for readers.
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